Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Oct. 29th, 2026

[Landson Chan]

In daily life, they are dealing with health care coverage. They are worrying if their children can go to school. They are worrying if they are going to be approved, again and again, in the 40 years. They are worrying if their job will be taken away. They have the intention of working. They would like to contribute here.

These are things they worry about every day. This is why I am appearing here today to ask for an immediate solution to the Hong Kong pathway.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

I'll share a story with you, Mr. Chan.

Two folks came here through the Hong Kong pathway. The Hong Kong pathway had two streams through which people can come. It was people who were in need, people who were coming here fleeing a very difficult situation.

They did everything right. They made the application and used the program. They came here and contributed, with good jobs from day one, to the Canadian economy. These two folks I'm talking about are a husband and wife who are doctors. They got jobs immediately when they came here. We have a shortage of doctors in Ontario. Over two million people are not able to find a family doctor in Ontario.

They're here. They got their temporary work permit. They're waiting. Because of the uncertainty of waiting and not getting their PR, the hospital has let them go because the hospital needs some certainty in their staffing situation.

Here's the problem they have. They bought a home. They are not only out of work. They find it very difficult to go back to Hong Kong. When they purchased the home, it was valued at $300,000 higher than the value of the home today. Now they have to deal with that situation. They made that mistake.

Have you heard of similar cases like that in the community?

[Landson Chan]

Yes, absolutely. I've been hearing of cases like this every day. I have a lot of case work regarding the Hong Kong pathway. Unfortunately, this is the situation that I often hear about. They are worrying if they can continue to live here if the estimated time of 40 years remains unchanged.

I would say it's really, really sad. I am a Hong Kong pathway applicant as well. I came here through a Hong Kong pathway. I worked here. I worked hard, like many other Hong Kongers. We're not asking for special treatment. We are here to work. We want to contribute to Canada. We love the democratic values in Canada, so we just want to work here and live here.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you for that answer.

My colleague on the Liberal side, Mr. Chang, referred to approval in principle, leading us to believe that it can somehow help resolve the 40-year backlog. Of course, approval in principle is when people can lose their jobs because there's a paperwork problem. They get approval in principle, but the employer is not certain he can have confidence in the approval in principle. They want to see the document in front of them.

Would you agree with Mr. Chang that the approval in principle can help resolve the 40-year backlog?

[Landson Chan]

I would say that it would not help in the long term. It would not help the backlog. It does help in the short term, as I mentioned, because they have coverage, for example. They can be covered in Ontario for their health. In the long term, however, they still want to stay here. They want to live here with their children, with their families. I believe that approval in principle would not help in this situation.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

I referred to the folks who came here who did everything correctly. They are contributing taxpayers, professionals and community leaders. What other key contributions are these individuals making to Canadian society today? Why would failing to grant them permanent residence be a massive loss for Canada's long-term prosperity?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

You have seven seconds.

[Landson Chan]

I think first is that they flee to Canada because their freedoms in Hong Kong have eroded. There are many highly skilled, such as Hong Kong-trained doctors, IT, finance—

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Chan.

Thank you, Mr. Menegakis.

Next and last, we have five minutes for Ms. Sodhi.

Go ahead, Ms. Sodhi.

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you to our witnesses for being here today.

I would like to start with you, Mr. Guénette.

You mentioned throughout your testimony as well as in your opening remarks the importance of immigration for small businesses. I would like to give you the opportunity to expand on that, especially when it comes to small businesses that are in rural communities and often need a little bit more help than others.

[Jasmin Guénette]

Thank you.

As I mentioned in my opening remarks, for many of our members, having access to labour through immigration is very important. We have surveyed our members regularly on this issue, and what we have found is that three-quarters of businesses who have used the TFW program said that this has helped them fulfill their clients' orders, and 60% said it contributed to the growth of their company.

Still today, the second factor that is slowing the growth and sales increase for small businesses is labour shortages, especially skilled workers. Two-thirds have said that these workers also help improve productivity. We have to understand that obviously not all of our members are using the TFW program. It's anywhere between 15% to 20% who may have one or more workers from the TFW program. For those who use it and need it, it is quite important, because it means that they have not found someone locally willing to do that job.

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

You mentioned something along these lines in your opening remarks, but can you tell us of an example of a CFIB member telling you a success story of how targeted immigration is both helping their business, the economy and Canadian workers?

[Jasmin Guénette]

For example, we have members who are running small hotels in rural communities. They need people to clean rooms and make food for the guests during the peak season. If they don't find anybody willing to do that job, they lose sales because not all floors of the hotel may be open. They are missing opportunities. We also often share the example of a chef. A specialized chef keeps the kitchen running, keeps the waiter serving and keeps the hostess welcoming guests, so they are also contributing to providing opportunities to other people already in Canada.

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

That's beautiful.

In budget 2025, our government announced a foreign credential recognition action fund of $97 million to be developed with provinces and territories to make recognition faster, fairer and more transparent. Recognition is a provincial and territorial responsibility, but it is also closely connected to immigration federally.

What are your thoughts on improving foreign credential recognition, and how could faster recognition help small businesses and the economy?

[Jasmin Guénette]

I think the faster we recognize the credentials of folks coming from abroad, the better it will be. We are hearing about people with experience they have acquired in their country who cannot practice here in Canada, and we should make sure that public policies are built so that people coming into Canada with a certain set of skills can practice those skills as rapidly as possible.

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

With the 40 seconds I have left, I'll give the floor to you. If you could walk out of the committee today, leaving us with one recommendation, what would that be?

[Jasmin Guénette]

As I mentioned in my opening remarks, we recommend that the federal government create a pathway to permanent residency for temporary foreign workers who have been in Canada for at least 18 months. We believe that this would bring greater stability and certainty for many of our members.

[Amandeep Sodhi, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Guénette.

Thank you, Ms. Sodhi.

On behalf of all of the committee, I want to thank all of our witnesses for their time and their testimony today.

I want to thank all of my colleagues for the excellent questions and the discourse.

We are going to suspend so that our current set of witnesses can leave, and we will resume shortly with the second panel.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Good afternoon, everyone.

I want to warmly welcome our second panel for our current study, which is about attracting and empowering global talent to strengthen Canada's economy.

I would like to formally introduce our three witnesses.

From the Business and Higher Education Roundtable, we have Valerie Walker, chief executive officer; and Matthew McKean, chief R and D officer.

From Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, we have Mr. Matt Conley, director of government relations.

Finally, from the Mining Association of Canada, we have Ben Chalmers, senior vice-president; and Geoff Smith, vice-president of government relations.

Welcome to all of you.

Each group will have five minutes to give introductory remarks, after which we will begin rounds of questions.

We'll begin with the Business and Higher Education Roundtable.

Ms. Walker, please go ahead.

[Valerie Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Business + Higher Education Roundtable]

Thank you, Chair and members of the committee, for inviting us to speak today on this important topic.

As the chair mentioned, I'm Val Walker, CEO of the Business and Higher Education Roundtable, or BHER. I'm here with my colleague Matt McKean, our chief R and D officer.

BHER brings together leaders from Canada's top companies and post-secondary institutions to tackle national skills, talent, innovation and productivity challenges. Our goal is to help the Government of Canada advance its industrial strategies by building the workforce and innovation capacity needed to deliver on them.

One of the ways we've done that is through work-integrated learning. BHER's partners have created more than 80,000 work-integrated learning opportunities for young Canadians since 2019 with support from the Government of Canada.

Another way is through our cross-sector membership. This year, BHER launched four leadership tables in energy, AI, health and national security, different sectors with shared challenges, including upskilling, workforce mobility, early career pathways, research commercialization and, of course, global talent.

Canada cannot deliver on its industrial ambitions without an equally ambitious talent strategy. That starts with developing talent at home and using skills and people already here. International recruitment must complement those efforts, particularly when specialized expertise is needed quickly. Canadians need and deserve a system that works for newcomers, employers and their communities.

We offer three recommendations.

First, attract talent in step with Canada's major investments.

Previous witnesses have called for a coordinated international talent, research and innovation strategy. We agree, but to be effective, coordination must reach actual projects.

One example is BHER member Bruce Power's proposed Bruce C nuclear expansion. It requires engineers, skilled tradespeople, technologists and project leaders at different stages. Decision-makers need to know years in advance what Canadian training and mobility can supply, where training capacity must grow and where international recruitment will be essential to deliver this project on time and on budget.

We know IRCC already plans to work with the Major Projects Office and ESDC, as well as the provinces and territories, to support recruitment for projects of national interest. We recommend taking the next step: pilot project-level talent plans mapping competencies, locations and timelines; assess domestic workforce and training capacity; and identify the remaining need for global talent. Those plans should inform training investments and immigration pathways.

Second, develop and integrate the talent that is already here.

The committee has heard about foreign credential recognition barriers. The biggest challenge is fragmentation. As I'm sure this committee is aware, provincial rules for assessment, training and licensing differ, even within the same profession.

Take medical radiography technologists trained abroad as an example. While other provinces use a national body, Ontario, Alberta and Quebec require provincial assessments. Our member BCIT is developing federally supported bridging tools to address this problem, but one institution cannot fix the patchwork.

Professional standards should be protected, but we recommend that provinces and territories and regulators align competency assessments and bridging requirements. This alignment would improve interprovincial and interterritorial labour mobility as well.

Third, retain the talent we attract and develop.

We need predictable pathways for international recruits, but immigration policy is only part of retention. For starters, Canada needs to make better use of the global talent already studying here. Connecting international students to employers during their studies and providing clear pathways into skilled employment and permanent residence, where appropriate, helps retain graduates whose Canadian education and experience can contribute to our long-term workforce and innovation needs.

At the company level, the government's new productivity mega deduction and new venture capital supports aim to grow Canadian global champions, but growing companies need senior, experienced leaders.

One of our industry members has flagged a real challenge: Executive-level talent is leaving Canada early to avoid departure taxes on pre-arrival investments that kick in after five years of Canadian residency.

We recommend that the Department of Finance and IRCC look at the extent to which departure taxes may be undermining our ability to hold on to leaders long term.

In closing, success should be measured by more than how many people Canada attracts. Are people using their skills, building careers here and helping deliver our national priorities? BHER is helping employers, institutions and government turn these questions into action.

We look forward to taking your questions.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you so much, Ms. Walker.

Next, we have Mr. Conley for five minutes.

[Matt Conley, Director, Government Relations, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters]

Thank you to the chair and the members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

My name is Matt Conley, and I'm appearing on behalf of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. We represent 1.85 million workers, $208 billion in real GDP, and a sector that has built this country's national prosperity for over 150 years.

I want to start by outlining some facts about the manufacturing sector. From the conversations I've had with many of our members, manufacturers make every effort to hire Canadians first. In our recent survey, we asked manufacturers what they had already done before they explored using immigration pathways. In their responses, 70% said they increased wages and/or benefits in order to attract and retain workers; 43% invested in increased automation to reduce their dependence on manual labour; 37% said they actively deepened their relationships with local schools to support and connect with the next generation of workers; and 34% had expanded on-the-job training for new hires.

These are not companies taking shortcuts. Among other options, immigration is viewed by these manufacturers as an important tool in the tool belt to build the manufacturing workforces of the future.

The manufacturing sector is facing pressures related to retirements and an aging workforce. A significant number of highly experienced workers will be retiring, and the industry risks losing their specialized technical knowledge. If businesses cannot access the workers they need, that knowledge, expertise and experience will be lost.

Fifty-five per cent of our members report difficulty finding candidates with the right technical skills. They say that it's one of their greatest challenges.

Fifty per cent of our members say that skilled tradespeople and production workers will be the occupations most in demand over the next five years. These include industrial mechanics, machinists, welders, tool and die technicians and industrial electricians.

These workers are not easy to find, but they're essential to maintaining Canada's industrial capacity in the future.

Unless the manufacturing industry can access a reliable pipeline of skilled labour, the resulting productivity constraints will limit Canada's manufacturing growth and potential.

I want to talk about a company from my hometown of Lethbridge, Alberta. Lethbridge Iron Works was founded in 1898 and is a fourth-generation family business that has not only survived but has delivered high-quality casting products through two world wars, the Great Depression and the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been a pillar of their local community, and of CME, for over 125 years.

When they needed workers, they did everything right. They posted online, attended job fairs, invested in training, and when local hiring could not meet their operational needs, they invested over $100,000 to bring in skilled workers and integrate them properly into their business.

Those workers are now trained and invested in the company, and they want to stay. They want permanent residency, and they want to bring their families to Lethbridge. Right now, there is no federal pathway for them. Lethbridge Iron Works tried to go through the Alberta provincial nominee program, and they were told, “Tough luck. That option won't be available to you.” They are desperately seeking options to keep their skilled workers.

They're doing all of this while fighting a trade war. Like hundreds of manufacturers across this country, they are absorbing the impact of U.S. tariffs while at the same time trying to hold their workforce together. Neither they nor Canada can afford to lose those workers. Canadian foundries produce the metal castings embedded in approximately 90% of all durable manufactured goods, from defence vehicles to agricultural equipment and construction materials. They need their workers, and they need them to stay.

I want to make a broader point about what immigration contributes. Manufacturers are not just importing labour; they're importing knowledge. Companies often report that new workers bring technical skill sets, educational backgrounds and experience working in multinational companies around the world. Companies often note that the arrival of new workers raises the bar for everyone around them in attendance, in responsibility and in safety.

To achieve the goal of attracting global talent to Canada to build up the economy, we're asking this committee for three things.

The first is a federal residency pathway for TEER 4 and TEER 5 workers. Certainly, we appreciate what's in place for TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 workers, but overwhelmingly, manufacturers are increasingly frustrated by the lack of pathways to permanent residency for all skill levels. Under the current system, companies invest significant capital to train and integrate employees only to face an unstable, high-pressure scramble for the provincial nominee programs. This creates unnecessary stress for workers who want to build their lives in Canada and for employers who are committed to supporting them.

The second is a clear pathway for workers who are already doing work in Canada. Creating a dedicated pathway to permanent residency for all TEER levels is essential. Many essential occupations are still falling by the wayside, making it harder to retain.

The third is greater federal leadership on credential recognition. Canada underutilizes internationally trained talent that comes into the country. We need federal leadership to scale credential recognition, skills assessment and work-integrated pathways.

Canada's future will be built through its industrial capacity. We are asking the committee to build the pathways, clear the red tape and empower the people who want to build this country.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Conley.

Next we have the Mining Association of Canada. Who would like to speak?

[Ben Chalmers, Senior Vice-President, Mining Association of Canada]

Thank you. I will.